# Good HEAVY metal w/o Cookie Monster Vocals? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [November 21, 2006, 9:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-heavy-metal-w-o-cookie-monster-vocals/381345 "2006-11-21T21:25:51Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Yorikke](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yorikke/32/4335_2.png) [@Yorikke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yorikke)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2006, 9:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-heavy-metal-w-o-cookie-monster-vocals/381345/1 "2006-11-21T21:25:51Z")
I’m looking for some good metal with normal, human-sounding vocals. I was recommended the band Opeth about a year ago, and loved the music, until the horrible, wood-chipper vocal kicked in. Anything relly heavy would be good - doesn’t have to be super-speed metal, or death metal, or any genre in particular, just something HARD. Thanks, Joe ---
**Author:** ![Oakminster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/77aa72/32.png) [@Oakminster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oakminster)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2006, 9:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-heavy-metal-w-o-cookie-monster-vocals/381345/2 "2006-11-21T21:32:55Z")
Go with Black Sabbath–yeah, they have some mellow stuff, but they can bring the noise, too… ---
**Author:** ![RogueRacer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/7ab992/32.png) [@RogueRacer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RogueRacer)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2006, 9:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-heavy-metal-w-o-cookie-monster-vocals/381345/3 "2006-11-21T21:34:26Z")
Dream Theater, maybe? ---
**Author:** ![Yorikke](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yorikke/32/4335_2.png) [@Yorikke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yorikke)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2006, 9:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-heavy-metal-w-o-cookie-monster-vocals/381345/4 "2006-11-21T21:35:09Z")
[QUOTE=Oakminster] Go with Black Sabbath–yeah, they have some mellow stuff, but they can bring the noise, too… [/QUOTE] Yeah, I’m a sabbath fan, but looking for newer stuff - stuff I’m not familiar with. Thanks, though 🙂 Joe ---
**Author:** ![Daithi\_Lacha](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/daithi_lacha/32/5430_2.png) [@Daithi\_Lacha](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Daithi_Lacha)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2006, 9:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-heavy-metal-w-o-cookie-monster-vocals/381345/5 "2006-11-21T21:40:10Z")
Try **Ministry** ’s _Land of Rape and Honey_, _A Mind Is a terrible Thing to Taste,_ or _Psalm 69_. After that, Jourgensen’s vocals become a little buzzsaw, but those three albums are hot. ---
**Author:** ![WordMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e8c25b/32.png) [@WordMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WordMan)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2006, 9:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-heavy-metal-w-o-cookie-monster-vocals/381345/6 "2006-11-21T21:56:24Z")
Hmmm, gotta be new, hunh? I vote for **Tool**. \*\*Disturbd \*\* (Spelling?) is pretty good. \*\*Avenged Sevenfold \*\* is pretty good - both rock hard and have big double-kick and shreddy guitars - but they are pretty melodic vocally… ---
**Author:** ![Lord\_Ashtar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ea924/32.png) [@Lord\_Ashtar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lord_Ashtar)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2006, 9:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-heavy-metal-w-o-cookie-monster-vocals/381345/7 "2006-11-21T21:57:44Z")
Some bands for you to check out: Evergrey Vanishing Point Nevermore Amorphis Nightwish Katatonia Iced Earth Amorphis and Katatonia have some growling on their earlier stuff, but for the most part have chilled out quite a bit. And take it from me, if you like the music but hate the vocals, the vocals will grow on you. Took me a year or so to get used to it. ---
**Author:** ![Cuckoorex](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ad7895/32.png) [@Cuckoorex](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cuckoorex)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2006, 10:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-heavy-metal-w-o-cookie-monster-vocals/381345/8 "2006-11-21T22:06:24Z")
Trivium Mushroomhead ---
**Author:** ![Cluricaun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/bb73d2/32.png) [@Cluricaun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cluricaun)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2006, 10:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-heavy-metal-w-o-cookie-monster-vocals/381345/9 "2006-11-21T22:43:28Z")
Dragonforce, if you don’t mind your speed metal mixed with 80’s operatic style metal vocals. These guys play at light speed, but most of the songs are pretty much interchangable. I have to admit that not too many people are looking for the clean stuff these days with the rise in popularity of black metal. Maybe try something by Dimmu Borgir. Not Cookie Monster, but Shagrath goes kind of do a higher pitched growl thing most of the time, but ICS Vortex (yes, that’s his name) has some really nice clean parts in many songs. Try the song Progenies of the Great Apocalypse for a decent taste of their newer style. ---
**Author:** ![Cluricaun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/bb73d2/32.png) [@Cluricaun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cluricaun)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2006, 10:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-heavy-metal-w-o-cookie-monster-vocals/381345/10 "2006-11-21T22:48:28Z")
Oh, I don’t know if this makes a bit of differance to you, but Dimmu is rather Satanic if that kind of thing offends you. They’re not really all that serious about it, but it’s certainly more than some people are used to. ---
**Author:** ![elfkin477](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a9a28c/32.png) [@elfkin477](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elfkin477)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2006, 11:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-heavy-metal-w-o-cookie-monster-vocals/381345/11 "2006-11-21T23:38:05Z")
The best metal band you’ve probably never heard of is Pist\*on. You can find their first cd [at amazon wicked cheap](http://www.amazon.com/Number-One-Pist/dp/B000002I7Y/sr=8-2/qid=1164151519/ref=pd_bbs_2/002-2981497-6825635?ie=UTF8&s=music). Wiki has a list of Nu-metal bands [here.](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Nu_metal_musical_groups) Of the less well-known I recommend: Depswa Earshot Ill Niño Lacuna Coil Ra The Blank Theory Unloco There’s a list of Christian Metal Bands [here](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Christian_metal_bands) (“Christian” usually doesn’t mean much as far as I can tell.) These are decent: Blindside Bride Flyleaf Thousand Foot Krutch None of them has a lot of yelling that I can recall, at least on tracks I’ve heard. I kind of like the yelling when it comes to bands like Killradio and The Prom Kings, though, honestly. Thrice ---
**Author:** ![Daithi\_Lacha](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/daithi_lacha/32/5430_2.png) [@Daithi\_Lacha](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Daithi_Lacha)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2006, 11:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-heavy-metal-w-o-cookie-monster-vocals/381345/12 "2006-11-21T23:46:30Z")
Holy crow – Flyleaf is “Christian?” They’ve been getting some airplay down here in SoFla, but I had no idea … The lead singer - what’s her name? - has a decent set up pipes on her, that’s for sure! ---
**Author:** ![Hey\_It\_s\_That\_Guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/6f9a4e/32.png) [@Hey\_It\_s\_That\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hey_It_s_That_Guy)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2006, 12:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-heavy-metal-w-o-cookie-monster-vocals/381345/13 "2006-11-22T00:33:37Z")
[QUOTE=Cluricaun] Dragonforce, if you don’t mind your speed metal mixed with 80’s operatic style metal vocals. These guys play at light speed, but most of the songs are pretty much interchangable. [/QUOTE] I usually hate metal (especially for the growly vocals and uber-macho posturing that comes off as ridiculous when guys are decked out in studded leather, face paint, or white-boy dreadlocks), but I LOVE Dragonforce! I’ve only heard a few songs off their website, so can you recommend me a good “starter” album from them? Nightwish is good too – epic, operatic metal from Finland with powerful non-screamy female vocals. ---
**Author:** ![elfkin477](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a9a28c/32.png) [@elfkin477](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elfkin477)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2006, 12:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-heavy-metal-w-o-cookie-monster-vocals/381345/14 "2006-11-22T00:41:23Z")
[QUOTE=Daithi Lacha] Holy crow – Flyleaf is “Christian?” They’ve been getting some airplay down here in SoFla, but I had no idea … The lead singer - what’s her name? - has a decent set up pipes on her, that’s for sure! [/QUOTE] Yep. There’s a lot about it in their wiki entry [Flyleaf - Wikipedia](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flyleaf). I love her voice, too 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Ferret\_Herder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e47774/32.png) [@Ferret\_Herder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ferret_Herder)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2006, 12:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-heavy-metal-w-o-cookie-monster-vocals/381345/15 "2006-11-22T00:53:04Z")
[QUOTE=WordMan] \*\*Disturbd \*\* (Spelling?) is pretty good. [/QUOTE] Disturbed. (You’re thinking of Staind, I suspect.) Another newer metal band I like that doesn’t get that growly is Sevendust. The lead singers of both bands show they can be quite melodic at times, but aren’t afraid of going full-on yelling while still being intelligible. ---
**Author:** ![Cluricaun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/bb73d2/32.png) [@Cluricaun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cluricaun)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2006, 1:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-heavy-metal-w-o-cookie-monster-vocals/381345/16 "2006-11-22T01:05:17Z")
[QUOTE=Big Bad Voodoo Lou] I usually hate metal (especially for the growly vocals and uber-macho posturing that comes off as ridiculous when guys are decked out in studded leather, face paint, or white-boy dreadlocks), but I LOVE Dragonforce! I’ve only heard a few songs off their website, so can you recommend me a good “starter” album from them? [/QUOTE] Well of the three albums they have out, Inhuman Rampage is the newest and best produced. That one would have the songs you’ve heard on their website. Valley of the Damned is their first album and Sonic Firestorm the second, but really start with the new one and work your way backwards if you find you need more. One of the major complaints about Dragonforce is that they’re not real varied when it comes to what they do. After a while it all starts to blend into one long song. I do have all three, but I’ve found that having three Dragonforce albums is kind of like having three things of cotton candy. You really just don’t need \*that \* much to be happy. YMMV, of course. ---
**Author:** ![LawMonkey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/d6d6ee/32.png) [@LawMonkey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LawMonkey)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2006, 1:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-heavy-metal-w-o-cookie-monster-vocals/381345/17 "2006-11-22T01:19:03Z")
How heavy is heavy? Usually what I’d consider the ultra-heavy stuff comes with the growls as a matter of course–which is unfortunate; a lot of the stuff is beautiful, but many folks who might otherwise listen can’t get over the vox. But then, the folks making black and death seem to pride themselves on being deliberately inaccessible. I also second **Lord Ashtar’s** comment: If you like the music, you’ll get to where you can at least tolerate the vocals. You might even start to think of certain vocalists as ‘better’ or ‘worse!’ I very nearly dismissed black metal when I first heard it, due to the harsh vocals–but I came to accept them eventually. Ideally they should be back in the mix, so as to contribute to the song/atmosphere without distracting overmuch, IMO–they’re still not exactly -pleasant-. Kyuss: I’ve only one album, Blues for the Red Sun, but it’s solid, heavy, sludgy metal in the tradition of Black Sabbath. Vox are uniformly clean, IIRC. Acid Bath: Southern sludgy metal. Some harsh vox, but some gorgeous clean stuff, and killer melodies throughout. I think these guys have went on to become the very harsh black metal band, Goatwhore. Arcturus: A supergroup that’s had Garm of Ulver and Simen Vortex of Dimmu Borgir as vocalists in their history. Their first album had harsh vox; the rest have been clean. They peaked, IMO, on their second album, La Masquerade Infernal, but some may disagree and the later albums do have their fans. Bathory: The fathers of viking metal (and one of the fathers of black, too). Hammerheart is the album to go for here, IMO. Gritty but clean vocals. Vocals were harsh on the prior album, and entirely clean on the following–unfortunately, Quorthon isn’t that good a singer. Borknagar: I think these guys have used clean vox throughout their career. I might be wrong. Never got heavily into them, but they’re pretty good. Bronx Casket Co.: A side project of a fellow from Anthrax, I think, these guys are the band Type O Negative wish they could be. Heavy gothic-tinged metal with clean vox throughout. Green Carnation: Authors of perhaps the finest moment in metal, the sixty-minute epic, “Light of Day, Day of Darkness.” Nothing I say can do that album justice. Since then, they’ve kinda wandered into ever proggier territory and I’ve not kept up with them. In the Woods…: In the same vein as Green Carnation, or rather, Green Carnation followed in their footsteps. Their first album included vocals so harsh that I’ve never listened to it from start to finish, but Omnio and Strange in Stereo are both superb, although definitely in left field and maybe not ‘heavy’ enough for you. Pelican: Very heavy. No vocals at all; dunno if you’d dig that. Rakoth: A band from Russia that so far as I know, have faded into even greater obscurity than that which they started. Mix of clean and harsh vocals, but beautiful melodies throughout. Some rather unintentionally comic themes, such as songs about the Drow. :rolleyes: Look for Planeshift and Jabberworks; I can’t vouch for their third or later albums. Skyclad: Folk-tinged thrash, a bit heavy on the puns. ("…she led me to that place where cunning lingers…" for example…) Not sure of their current status, but they have a number of excellent discs. So, there’s what a brief (and alphabetical) glance through my collection yields. Hope you find some good tunes in there. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Cluricaun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/bb73d2/32.png) [@Cluricaun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cluricaun)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2006, 3:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-heavy-metal-w-o-cookie-monster-vocals/381345/18 "2006-11-22T03:38:40Z")
Wow, **Lemur Catta** , that’s a pretty impressive list of super obscure metal. I thought about giving up Arcturus, but some of the recent stuff is more Norwegian Mr. Bungle than metal. I’d love to have a few beers and play music nerd with you for an evening. You, me and **Ultrafilter** , and **Lord Ashtar** could have a good time playing jukebox I think. What do you think of SunnO)))? Not even close to really being metal, but Muse’s song Knights of Cydonia has a nice heavy vibe with really clean vocals. There’s a bit too much synth in there for me, but there’s also a sweet Sabbath style breakdown towards the end. Cradle of Filth’s Nymphetamne has Dani’s goofball blackened styles, but Sarah Jezebel Deva’s interludes are almost pretty ---
**Author:** ![Dahnlor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dahnlor/32/533_2.png) [@Dahnlor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dahnlor)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2006, 4:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-heavy-metal-w-o-cookie-monster-vocals/381345/19 "2006-11-22T04:27:54Z")
For a very melodic and not-nearly-as-hyper-as-Dragonforce power metal, I highly recommend **Sonata Arctica**. I’d also recommend **Korpiklaani** , who use the fiddle and accordion along with the guitar/bass/drums for a nice folky-yet-heavy sound. They’ve been described (unfairly IMHO) as **Finntroll** with clean vocals. **Pagan’s Mind** and **Circus Maximus** are both great power-prog bands with complexity comparable to **Dream Theater**. **Falconer** also has excellent vocals on their first two albums _Falconer_ and _Chapters From A Vale Forlorn_, and their latest _Northwind_. Their singer Mathias Blad had left the band for a couple albums because touring interfered with his career in musical theater, and while his replacement was a good metal vocalist in his own right, he just couldn’t measure up to the standard Blad had set. **Leaves’ Eyes** has really good vocals by ex- **Theatre of Tragedy** singer Liv Kristine, though her husband Alex Krull does a little bit of grunting as well. Liv’s sister Carmen leads the band **Midnattsol** without anyone else grunting. ---
**Author:** ![ultrafilter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/3d9bf3/32.png) [@ultrafilter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ultrafilter)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2006, 4:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-heavy-metal-w-o-cookie-monster-vocals/381345/20 "2006-11-22T04:35:03Z")
Rammstein and Megadeth, in case you’re not familiar with them. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-heavy-metal-w-o-cookie-monster-vocals/381345.md?page=2)